Home Hygiene: How To Reduce Germs During Cold And Flu Season

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Now that cold and flu season is in full swing, people may not realize that their own homes can be breeding grounds for germs. A few simple considerations, including special attention to handwashing and drying, can make a big difference in family health this year.

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"It's inevitable that we will be exposed to germs during cold and flu season," said Donna Duberg, a leading hygiene expert at Saint Louis University and member of SCA's Tork^® Green Hygiene Council™. "By taking a few important precautions at home, you can make sure your family minimizes exposure and stays healthy."

To keep families healthy during cold and flu season, Duberg offers the following tips, including the use of Tork^® napkin and towels dispensers for the home to help fend off germs:

Keep hands clean. Handwashing remains one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs and infection. Encourage family members to wash their hands frequently with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds, especially before eating or after touching their eyes, nose or mouth. Placing a bottle of hand sanitizer in key spots around the home, such as the kitchen counter, by the phone or next to a tissue box, can also help encourage hand hygiene for family members.

Forget the cloth towel. Damp cloth towels can become bacterial breeding grounds after repeated use. Avoid sharing the same germ-filled towels by replacing them with a disposable hand towel dispenser, such as the Tork Xpress Hand Towel Dispenser. Additionally, research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), shows that damp hands spread up to 500 times more germs than dry hands, making it important for family members to thoroughly dry hands. Use 100 percent recycled paper towels for a fresh, environmentally conscious way to dry hands anywhere from the bathroom to the kitchen.

Think clean and green. Ditch the stack of napkins on the kitchen table, which can collect airborne germs. Instead, opt for a napkin dispenser like the Tork Xpressnap^® Tabletop Napkin Dispenser, which allows family members to take only the napkin they touch. These dispensers, which offer compostable and 100 percent recycled napkins and include color options that complement any home's decor, can be dressed up with a special menu, family photo or seasonal message in the customizable spaces on both sides.

To help your family stay healthy this cold and flu season, visit www.torkhome.com to purchase hand towel and napkin dispensers and refills, as well as select from a wide selection of seasonal and themed templates for the Tork Xpressnap^® Tabletop Napkin Dispenser. Delivery is available for U.S. and Canadian residences.

About Tork
The Tork brand offers a complete range of products for professional maintenance needs and the home. Through customer understanding and particular expertise in hygiene and sustainability, Tork has become a market leader in many segments and a committed partner to businesses and consumers. Tork is a global brand in the SCA hygiene portfolio. To keep up with the latest Tork news and innovations, please visit: www.torkusa.com or www.torkhome.com.

About SCA
SCA is a global hygiene and paper company that develops and produces personal-care products, tissue, packaging solutions, publication papers and solid-wood products. Sales are conducted in some 100 countries. SCA has many well-known brands, including the global brands TENA and Tork. Sales in 2010 amounted to $15 billion (USD). SCA has about 45,000 employees. For more information about SCA, please visit: www.sca.com.

SOURCE Tork